Not so special?

Aren’t supercars great?! They look (usually) incredible, go like stink, cost a fortune, command attention, and most importantly for their owners, feel special. Except nowadays, they don’t seem to be special enough. So, manufacturers are now producing ‘special editions’ to beat the band – nothing too new there really. For year’s companies like Ford had made different editions of their Mustang, even making a Hertz Rental edition, complete with a traction control button that couldn’t be switched off.  

One particular brand that have become experts at the special edition is Bugatti. Not content with producing one of the most iconic & technically advanced cars in history, they then had to come up with another 8 editions, granted their latest – the SuperSport is almost like a new model. Lamborghini have so far ‘created’ an astonishing twelve variants of the entry level Gallardo, and six variants of its big brother – the Murciélago. Yet its not just the mainstream brands who have caught onto this idea, the smaller builders have made this their party trick. In recent years, these special editions have been taking on a different form. It is now a reason for their clients (as they like to call them) to put their own mark on their supercar. In the case of 31-year-old Chicago-based software specialist, David Heinemeier Hansson, Pagani created a one-off Zonda HH, taking all the best aspects from all of their other previous special editions.

But what about their previous customers? How do they feel about it all? Lets just try to imagine it for a moment. You’ve shelled out the best part of at least €300,000, waited anything from 8 to 16 months for your production slot to come around, finally gone to your dealership to collect your new pride and joy. All of your friends know about your new car finally arriving, and as you wait for them to call around to see it, your new (insert name here) car magazine subscription lands in through your letterbox. There on the cover is the new, extra rare, special edition of YOUR new supercar. No point denying it, your car is, in some people’s eyes, old news, obsolete, superseded. Granted, you didn’t pay the higher premium for a machine with greater exclusivity, nor are you as likely to have car bloggers and snappers follow you around in the hope of seeing your one of whatever special edition. The only thing I’m left to ponder, is how do these owners really feel about all these special editions? Are they pissed off at the manufacturers? Do they care?

I know I would.